Bank robber might have hit Arcata 1st

A surveillance camera captured this image Monday. Courtesy of Crescent City Police

The suspect in the Coast Central Credit Union robbery in Crescent City on Monday may have been responsible for a robbery two weeks ago in Arcata, investigators said Wednesday.

Crescent City police have compared surveillance photographs in both robberies and are working with the Arcata Police Department, said Sgt. Erik Apperson. Local authorities are also working with other agencies to see if the suspect may have been responsible for similar crimes, Apperson said.

“We don’t necessarily have him identified, but we do have some people of interest,” he said. “We’ve compared surveillance in both of those offenses and it appears to be the same guy.”

On Dec. 7, a man in his mid- to late-40s sporting a salt and pepper-colored mustache and goatee approached a teller at Northern Redwood Federal Credit Union, 1270 Giuntoli Lane, Arcata, brandished a black semi-automatic handgun and demanded money, according to an Arcata Police Department press release. The man left the bank with an undisclosed amount of cash.

The suspect in the Arcata robbery was described as a white man wearing a dark jacket with a white fur collar, dark pants, white shoes and a gray shirt, according to the release. He had on a black beanie cap and sunglasses.

The suspect involved in the robbery at the Coast Central Credit Union in Crescent City is also described as a white male adult wearing a dark hooded coat with a light lining, a dark shirt, dark pants and white tennis shoes. He also had on a black beanie cap and sunglasses and sported a salt and pepper-colored mustache and goatee, according to Apperson.

In the Crescent City robbery, the suspect presented the teller with a letter demanding money and stating he had a gun. The suspect pulled his shirt up to show the teller the gun in his waistband, Apperson said, and left with an undisclosed amount of cash. The robbery occurred from 10:20 to 10:30 a.m.

Officials are asking anyone with information about the suspect’s whereabouts to contact the Crescent City Police Department at 464-2133.

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